Chamonix — France

Compare this resort

Chamonix, France. Image © Chamonix tourist office.

• 
• 
• 

Prev Next

The resort of Chamonix Mont-Blanc has been a magnet for snowsports enthusiasts ever since it hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924. Today, Chamonix is more popular than ever and losing it's purely 'hardcore' appeal. It is just an hour from Geneva and makes a great destination for short breaks.

Snow reliability is not an issue here with skiing up to a breathtaking (literally!) 3840m and a northerly aspect. Chamonix has a reliable season from December well in to May. The skiing normally stops through lack of custom rather than lack of snow.

Mont Blanc rises up to a staggering 4801m, overshadowing this comparably large mountain town. It is apparently the third most visited natural site in the world! As such Chamonix receives a more diverse mix of guests than some mountain towns but rest assured, in the winter, the focus is 100% on skiing and snowboarding – and a little ice-climbing!

Getting around Chamonix

In Chamonix you need to be prepared to travel by bus. 'Skiing in Chamonix', really means staying in one of the villages that make up the Chamonix Mont-Blanc resort and skiing in one of the areas that flank each village.

This means that there is very little ski-in, ski-out accomodation and to make the most of the area you will want to ski and snowboard at different areas on different days.

The ski areas that make up Chamonix Mont-Blanc are: Les Houches, Le Brévent and the Aiguille du Midi, Flégère, Les Grands Montets and Le Tour/Balme.

Skiing in Chamonix

Chamonix offers ski terrain for everyone with the greater proportion of its slopes falling into the beginner and intermediate categories. However, it has become famous largely due to it's expert and off-piste potential.

People take skiing and snowboarding seriously here and a powder morning queue for the lift can be quite a bun fight, with ice axes, crampons, and ropes taking up every last bit of space in the lifts. The plus side is that there are a number of professional guiding and backcountry operations should you wish to explore further afield.

Staying in Chamonix

A fully-functional town, Chamonix has more history and soul than many purpose-built resorts, and it has better off-slope facilities than most resorts. The Mer de Glace railway is a spectacular trip, and the town centre boasts every type of shop you could wish for as well as a casino and endless eating and drinking options. The British community is strong here with more than enough bars selling Guinness and showing the football!